Wetherspoons boss ditches EU booze to make way for 'SUPERIOR' British drinks after Brexit

BREXITEER Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin defended his decision to ban booze produced in the European Union, saying that selling drinks from Britain and across the world could give British customers access to "superior" products.

Mr Martin also suggested Brexit would free the UK from the EU "stranglehold" over superior drinks such as French champagne and sparkling wine.

He continued: "Even though we pay EU tariffs on new world wine, we sell 8 million bottles of it a year, which is 90 percent of our wine sales. It’s been very successful selling still wine from outside the EU and I think it will be successful selling sparkling as well where the EU has had a bit of a stranglehold up to now.

"It’s pretty groovy stuff, I have to admit I don’t mind drinking it but it’s pretty expensive. Even in pubs now it’s about £35 a bottle so you can get some English sparkling for £20 which, as aficionados will acknowledge, is far better than the French."

I don’t think the customers will think it’s too harsh if we can get equivalent or superior products

Tim Martin

Wetherspoons said it will offer more drinks from the UK and non-EU producers and brewers across all 880 pubs from July 9.

Mr Martin said the products would be introduced at lower prices than the EU products they are replacing.

He added: "I think it’s a good idea though to look around the world as we’ve done with the still wine and it’ll work pretty well, especially when we leave the customs union which is a very important point for the British public.

"If we are going to abolish that people will be better off and it’ll encourage suppliers from those countries to compete. Champagne will still be sold but I think it’s good to have increased competition, it’s good for the prosperity of the British public."

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Comment by Tim Martin

There is a lot of doom and gloom about the supposedly dire effects for the economy of no Brexit deal.

In particular, the campaign by economists, remain-supporting MPs and the CBI to say that food and drink prices would rocket.

By switching from champagne and German wheat beer to excellent UK and Antipodean choices, at better prices, Wetherspoon has helped to demonstrate that the shoe is on the other foot.

Almost every product that is imported from the European Union can be replaced by an alternative from elsewhere. So the EU itself is the vulnerable party.

In fact the EU is a protectionist club that charges high tariffs on Australian and New Zealand wines, oranges, coffee and more than 12,000 other products.

The tariffs are collected by the UK and sent to Brussels.

By leaving the EU and the customs union without a deal, the Government can eliminate tariffs, reducing prices which will improve living standards.

We can also avoid paying a leaving gift of £39billion, which there is no legal obligation to pay.

At the same time, we can immediately regain control of our historic fishing waters.

Dominic Grieve, leader of the group of MPs which is desperate to dilute Brexit legislation, fears a crisis without a deal.

The truth is the opposite. By leaving the EU's undemocratic club we would all be far better off.

The Government has been too timid in negotiations, which has only encouraged the unelected oligarchs who act for the EU.